Below is the full text of the White House statement

The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States. This order was approved as to form and legality by the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel.

Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration.

It is time to get serious about protecting our country. Calling for tougher vetting for individuals travelling from seven dangerous places is not extreme. It is reasonable and necessary to protect our country.

Tonight, President Trump relieved Ms. Yates of her duties and subsequently named Dana Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to serve as Acting Attorney General until Senator Jeff Sessions is finally confirmed by the Senate, where he is being wrongly held up by Democrat senators for strictly political reasons.

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“I am honored to serve President Trump in this role until Senator Sessions is confirmed. I will defend and enforce the laws of our country to ensure that our people and our nation are protected,” said Dana Boente, Acting Attorney General.

It is disturbing that President Trump wants to surround himself with “yes” people. Questioning authority is critical to a functioning democracy. Is it a slippery slope towards dictatorship?

Has the Department of Justice failed to execute its role properly by approving the Order to its form and legality? They must have looked extremely narrowly at the Executive Order before its approval. No law operates in a vacuum. Who were the lawyers approving its legality? Who taught them how to interpret the law? Will President Trump only stack the Department of Justice with lawyers that agree with him? Where’s the critical thinking?

This is concerning because an impartial and independent judicial branch is key to a functioning democracy. Dictators often attack lawyers, judges, and the media first because they represent the truth finding process.